These two NBA trades could go down as the worst of the decade

This decade has seen its fair share of questionable trades in the NBA. From the Lakers’ decision to shop Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Russell Westbrook just 10 months after winning a championship, to the Timberwolves’ blockbuster deal for Rudy Gobert, which cost them four first-round picks and Walker Kessler — the missteps have been glaring. 

The 2024 offseason has delivered two more deals shaping up to rank among the worst in recent history.

We’ll dive into these moves and explore why they might become some of the most regrettable decisions this decade.

The Knicks mortgaged their future

Knicks receive: Mikal Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, a 2026 second-round pick and draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet

Nets receive: Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite, Shake Milton, four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), an unprotected pick swap in 2028, a top-four protected 2025 first-round pick via Bucks, a second-round pick in 2025

The advanced metrics paint a grim picture of Bridges’ performance. Among the Knicks’ starting lineup, he’s the only player with a -1.5 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) — a catch-all stat that measures a player’s contribution relative to a replacement-level player. His -8.3 True Shooting Added, the lowest on the team, highlights his inefficiency, while NBA.com’s Player Impact Estimate (PIE) — another comprehensive metric evaluating overall contributions — sits at 8.0, good for 300th in the league. 

Offensively, Bridges has shown promise in the paint, converting 81.4% of his opportunities at the rim and 57.1% from the three-to-10 foot range. However, his struggles from beyond the arc have been a significant issue. Nearly half of his shots come from downtown, but he’s hitting just 34.3% of those attempts, significantly diminishing his offensive value for the Knicks.

Defensively, Bridges carries the reputation of a lockdown ballhawk. Although that may have been true during his time with the Phoenix Suns, it’s no longer the case. Opposing stars have feasted against him this season. Zach LaVine, Jayson Tatum, Darius Garland, Franz Wagner and RJ Barrett have all shot a perfect 100% when matched up with Bridges over at least eight possessions. 

While Bridges has been an ironman for the Knicks, leading the league with 38.3 minutes per game and playing all 24 contests, his overall performance has been underwhelming. New York mortgaged their future for a player who has been, at best, average.

The Pelicans gave up a top defender and two first-round picks

Pelicans received: Dejounte Murray

Hawks received: Dyson Daniels, E.J. Lidell, Larry Nance Jr., Cody Zeller, a first-round pick in 2025 (via Lakers) and a top-four protected first-round pick in 2027

After fracturing his left hand in the Pelicans’ season opener, Murray has appeared in eight games, and his performance has been anything but encouraging. He is averaging 15.9 points per game while shooting 33.6% from the field and 25.5% from beyond the arc. Although New Orleans has been plagued by injuries, Murray’s inability to create his own shot since returning raises serious concerns about his fit with the team. He doesn’t resemble a lead guard capable of guiding a roster on a deep playoff run.

Adding to the unease is Murray’s track record. His best season in terms of team success came in 2017-18 when he played a minor role on a 47-win Spurs squad. Since then, his peak has been a middling 41-41 record with the Hawks two years ago. Combined with his current struggles, the trade for Murray is quickly shaping up to be a disaster for New Orleans.

On the flip side of this deal, Atlanta has been thriving. Winners of six of their last seven games, Atlanta has climbed to 13-12 with impressive victories over the Cavaliers (twice), Lakers, Celtics, Bucks and Knicks. Trae Young has flourished without Murray alongside him, averaging 20.9 points and a league-best 12.2 assists per game. 

Meanwhile, Dyson Daniels — the centerpiece of the trade — has emerged as a transformative defensive force. He leads the NBA with 3.2 steals and 6.5 deflections per contest, solidifying his role as one of the NBA’s premier disruptors.

The Pelicans sacrificed two first-round picks and two excellent players, Daniels and Nance Jr., to compete for a championship. Yet, they find themselves in last place in the Western Conference with a dismal 5-20 record. 

Given their current standing and Murray’s struggles, this trade is quickly becoming a complete misstep.